In tank warfare the main gun (cannon) on the tank can be controlled by either the gunner or the commander. In either case the person controlling the gun uses a telescope or periscope to sight the moving target and aim the gun. Eye-hand coordination is necessary to achieve a quick and accurate laying and firing of the gun on the target.
This invention relates to a system for measuring the eye-hand coordination (proficiency) of a human tank gunner or tank commander. The system can comprise a target board positioned a predetermined distance (e.g. 80 feet) in front of a military tank; and a recording board positioned in close adjacency to the muzzle end of the tank's main gun. A marking instrument is attached to the muzzle end of the gun to trace a line on the recording board as the human gunner tank commander (within the tank) operates the controls for moving the main gun through elevational and azimuthal motions.
The aforementioned target board has an irregular line thereon representing the motion of a moving target (e.g., enemy truck or tank) some distance from the tank. During a gunner proficiency test the gunner or commander views the irregular line through the primary or auxiliary optical sight (telescope or periscope); he operates the elevation--azimuth hand controls to follow as closely as he can the irregular line on the target board.
The aforementioned marking instrument (attached to the main gun) traces a line on the recording board representative of the gun motion. Gunner or commander eye-hand coordination proficiency is related to the extent that the traced line follows the target line on the target board. Since the target board is spaced much further from the tank than the recording board, the line traced on the recording board will be smaller than (but similar to) the irregular line on the target board; the smaller (shorter) line will be in the nature of a pantographic copy of the larger line.
To conveniently compare the traced line with the target line, the recording board may be pre-printed with a pantographic copy of the target line. The traced line will be imprinted directly over the printed line. Gunner or commander proficiency can be measured as the extent to which the traced line deviates from the printed line.
If desired the pre-printed line can be a line on a transparent "overlay" sheet positionable over the traced line after completion of the proficiency test.
The invention is believed to have the following general advantages:
a. Very low cost system.
b. Provides a printed (permanent) record of gunner/commander proficiency.
c. Provides a standard test setup usable for competitive testing (one gunner/commander against another).
d. Provides information on the magnitude of gunner/commander error, and the precise motion segments where errors are occurring.
e. Shows gunner/commander whether he is improving (by comparing one print-out with another).
f. Is installable quickly by soldiers having no special training.
g. Can be used where space is limited (e.g., inside the building or in any space about 100 feet in length).
h. Does not require firing the main gun or expending ammunition (low test costs).
i. Poses no safety threat to soldiers nearby (e.g., no laser danger).
j. Test can be carried out by a single soldier on his own initiative (without assistance by others).
k. Permits the gunner/commander to use the actual sight and hand-operated controls that would be used in combat (not a simulated set of controls).